This invention relates in general to firearms and deals more particularly with an improved barrel assembly for a shotgun particularly adapted for use as a home security weapon.
A shotgun, as opposed to a handgun, is an ideal home security weapon. The potentially devastating effect of a shotgun fired at close range is generally well known. Consequently, the mere brandishing of such a weapon will usually be sufficient to deter most intruders. One familiar with safe gun handling procedure may quickly become proficient in pointing a shotgun at a close range target, which makes such a weapon an ideal choice as a home security weapon by a person lacking the time or inclination to develop the marksmanship skill essential to the proper handling of a handgun.
A round of handgun ammunition having sufficient potential impact energy to stop an advancing assailant will easily penetrate the wall of an average residential building posing a threat to innocent persons outside of the building. However, the individual pellets which comprise a shotgun charge generally lack the impact energy necessary to pass through the wall of such a building.
The 410 gauge shotgun is particularly well suited for use as a home security weapon, because it is convenient for the average person to handle and is not too large to be comfortably handled by a person of small stature. A 410 gauge shotgun shell fired at close range has substantially greater impact energy than a 9 mm round of ammunition and will produce a shot pattern approximately 4 to 6 inches in diameter at a range of 10 to 14 feet. Should it become necessary to fire the weapon in self-defense, even a poorly directed shot striking a soft tissue target should produce sufficient shock and trauma to halt an advancing armed assailant.
It is the general aim of the present invention to provide an improved shotgun barrel assembly which provides a prematurely opening shot pattern to increase the close range hit probability of such a gun, thereby reducing likelihood that a close range shot will be wholly misdirected, even when fired under the most stressful conditions.